WAGS 31.10.2018: A Wet Walk in Vale Fuzeiros

The observant may have noticed that there was no walk, hence no blog for last week 24th as both Rod and I were away on travels and no volunteers came forward.

  This week would possibly have gone the same way, but Rod felt a need for some refreshing Algarve rain and determined that the walk should go ahead anyway.

   And so, the hardier remnants of the WAGS gathered at Cafe Silva under a lowering sky in a heavy drizzle.

   Rod's modest contribution for a modest walk:-

Well there still are a few hardy souls around; ...well, five anyway;....well, one of those actually took a bit of cajoling. The elements were bravely (?!) borne by Paul & Myriam, Lindsey, Tony and Rod; one or two others having chickened out. 

 We met at Cafe Silva......absent any particular indication these days,  you just have to know what it is called....in Vale de Fuzeiros where we had a  prolonged pre amble Coffee in the forlorn hope the rain might ease up. It didn't much.  So extra rainware was donned, Paul was eventually persuaded to join us  and off we set.

The fires around that area had been pretty severe; indeed for many of the properties it must have been absolutely terrifying ....but new green growth is already fast growing and for sure this Wednesday it certainly wasn't going to reignite.  The walk, or what there was of it, was in a circle around the starting point so that we could cut things short and return to base at any time. After an  hour and a half or so, honours being about even,  we did just that. Once upon a time we would  have braved it out but well we are now WAGS after all and the pleasures of Cafe Silva' s dining room beckoned. For once we didn't indulge in Tostas Mistas and were tempted by the "veado" on the menu. 

Apparently despite the fires...or maybe because of...there are plenty around in the nearby serra, tender and flavoursome it certainly was and made it all quite worth while...almost!  With any luck we may get a few drier Wednesdays now. 

  And now  I suppose we had better have some colour commentary (or padding) so that you don't feel cheated!  

     

  

The rain it raineth on the Just

And also on the Unjust fella.

But mainly on the Just because

The Unjust steals the Just's umbrella!

It is rare that we get an opportunity to use umbrellas on our walks - even if it is raining, the wind is usually too high, so we tend to make do with fashionable and brightly coloured water repellent outers, which often create as much water inside as outside if it is an invigorating walk.

   Still rarer is an opportunity to include a monograph on Umbrellas in a Blog so here goes!.

      Though Myriam may dispute it, and forcefully state the Chinese claim to their having invented almost everything, the umbrella or parasol was probably invented separately in various places including Ancient Egypt, about 3500 years BC. After all, it rains, (even in Egypt in those days) and fashionable ladies and Pharaohs like to keep their hair dry, so what else do you do except hold something over your head - a palm leaf or a lotus leaf if you are inventing it in China.  It is not rocket science to want something a bit fancier, dare I say fashionable, and then you need to get it out of the way when it is not needed. Hence some waterproof or sunproof fabric stretched out with ribs on a stick, which fold down when not in use.

      The Chinese legend goes like this:-

Luban was the most famous craftsman in ancient China. One day, Luban and his wife were walking at the West Lakeside and enjoying the beautiful view of the West Lake. Suddenly the rain occurred very quickly, both of them were soaked when they got back home. Luban's wife said, if there was something which could prevent people from the rain when walking, and enjoying the beautiful view of West Lake, that would be wonderful. Then Luban said, that was easy, I would build up many pavilions at the West Lakeside every another mile. His wife said, it would a good idea, but it was inconvenient and could not be movable.

     Is it possible to make a movable pavilion, which could always follow the people when walking? She thought all day and all night. One summer day, she saw some kids were playing in the rain, and each kids held a big lotus leaf above the head to protect the rainfall, they were not soaked by the rain. The next day, Luban's wife made the first rain umbrellas in ancient China. 

  Of course Luban would have improved the design later - as men do!!

In all written records, the oldest reference to a collapsible umbrella dates to the year 21 AD, when Wang Mang  had one designed for a ceremonial four-wheeled carriage. The 2nd-century commentator Fu Qian added that this collapsible umbrella of Wang Mang's carriage had bendable joints which enabled them to be extended or retracted.

In the Middle East and Ancient Egypt, contemporaneously with China, similar structures were used, usually over carriages, and reserved for Royalty or High Officials. Hand carrying was only for slaves to protect their masters or mistresses.

In Ancient Greece, the parasol (skiadeion), was an indispensable adjunct to a lady of fashion in the late 5th century BC. Aristophanes mentions it among the common articles of female use; they could apparently open and close.  An important factor in Greece was that for a man to carry one was a mark of effeminacy!

However the Romans were having none of this gender identification nonsense, and the 
effeminate males were somehow proud to carry gaily-coloured parasols.  In early times , 
umbrellas were largely used as sun protection rather than for staying dry.

I feel a limerick coming on:-

There was an old slapper named Bella,

  Who always held up an umbrella.

     But a man's man  called Bert

     Put his hand up her skirt

And conclusively proved her a fella!

Fashions change and now the umbrella is more commonly used for protection from the rain than 

the sun, and even top male Golfers are not ashamed to embrace their feminine side and take shelter

under a massive umbrella.

    And a nice little etymological description to show where the word comes from:-

umbrella

2. 
   
3. 
   

   
   

Origin

early 17th century: from Italian ombrella, diminutive of ombra ‘shade’, from Latin umbra (see umbra)

The last word goes to Hong Kong which adopted the Umbrella as a revolutionary symbol.

No longer just for the ruling classes.

Back to a few shots of the walk, since that was really why we were there.

Nothing effeminate about a Porsche Umbrella

The rain has brought back green to the parched and burnt landscape.

All this rain makes me want to ...........

Must have fallen from the sky!

Strange alien looking rock formation, with Lindsey lending scale to the photo.

If you are feeling overdressed - Rod's your man!

Unmade lunch by Tracey Emin. 

A very tasty Vitela Estufada. Sadly the photographer was ravenous and it was well past breakfast time so he attacked it before remembering the record was required.

And the tale of the tape - requiring a New Rule for WAGS:

      WR  3(i) If the weather is too drear - go inside and have a beer!

We also ascended 92 metres during the walk.

Honour was deemed to have been satisfied and we had a good natter, caught up on Rod's cruise and learnt about Almargem's WalkFest from November 1st to 4th, about which there may be a post in WAGS WASPS, and had a cracking lunch for 8 Euros including drinks.

Thanks Rod for persevering and getting us out.  I think I enjoyed it , especially the Veado!

A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain.

Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

It's no use carrying an umbrella if your shoes are leaking.

Irish Proverb